Jack Carter on Government Reform

Stop the mauling of our Constitutional balance of powers

The Bush administration has established a zone of secrecy which extends well beyond national security concerns. Evidence has come to light about the deliberate flaunting of our laws with illegal wire taps and renditions. In the '70s, such reports would
have led to a Senate investigation. Today, our Republican Senate leadership is too troubled by political implications to act responsibly. The Bush administration has also "stonewalled" the decision to attack Iraq. Through outside sources and leaks, we
have found that much of the information presented as the justification for the war was false, & much of the information which argued against the war was not presented at all. In the '70s, such revelations would have had Congress on its feet in an effort
to expose how such an egregious and costly mistake could have happened. Today, the Republican Congressional leadership is too afraid of the political cost to act responsibly. This is a time when Democrats must band together for the good of our country.

Source: Carter for Nevada campaign website
May 21, 2006

Consider public financing of federal campaigns

Q: Is it too libertarian to suggest that we have public financing of federal campaigns?

A: No. I saw an interesting proposal the other day and it was basically that no incumbent could ever raise any money. The only money that he or she would have to
spend would be a matching amount that an opponent of theirs raised. So somebody not in office, a challenger could raise as much money as he could from anybody who wanted to give him any money, at any amount, and then the government would pay for the
incumbent's matching money. It was an interesting idea because it eliminates the need for the incumbent to constantly be raising money. It eliminates the edge that the incumbent has because they're just the incumbent. The government only has to pay half
of the campaign. And it eliminates any kind of restrictions on somebody that wants to finance their own campaign or get a million dollars from somebody to help him do anything. I would certainly not be against something like that.